PSU Magazine Spring 1998

Jean Vollum, this year's Outstanding Philanthropist, is a friend to Native American students at Portland State and elsewhere. She is being honored for her longtime support, includ– ing a recent $500,000 lead gift to build a student long– house on campus. Vollum and former Gov. Vic Atiyeh are serving as honorary co-chairs for this campaign. Vollum's support for Native American students began years ago when she encouraged PSU to start a chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. The Jean Vollum Scholarship Fund for Native Americans followed in 1993. Last year 269 Native American students enrolled at PSU, indicating that this focused attention is paying off. Dennis West '63, Outstanding Alumnus, is recognized as a compas– sionate and visionary leader who has led the Housing Authority of Portland (HAP) through restructuring and transformation. Under West's leadership as executive direc– tor during the past seven years, the Affordable Housing Division has gone from a few hundred units to more than 2, 100 units today. HAP has a national reputation as a model housing authority and a local reputation for being a leader in bringing positive change to public housing. West has served Portland State as a faculty member in Urban Studies, on advisory and search committees, as a founding member of the Alumni Board, and most recently as a member of the President's Council. His nmni– nators also cite his commitment to the community through service on the board of the House of Umoja. Directory to networking We've heard from many of you about the importance of networking with other graduates in your field. In our last alumni survey the ability to contact other alumni directly was a priority. Here's your opportunity. The Alumni Office is working with Bernard C. Harris Publishing Company to produce a directory of all graduates. You should be receiving a questionnaire in the mail later this year. The directory will include current name, name while a student, class year and degree, address and phone number, as well as business information. The back of the book will have a cross-reference section by occu– pation and geographic location. The mission of the Alumni Association, of which all graduates are automatically members, is to promote the interests and ideals of PSU and to sponsor and develop alumni activities. We think this directory Ii.ts the bill, so we hope you will return the question– naire. If you prefer not to be listed in the directory, please contact the Alumni Office in writing as soon as possible. Our address is Office of Alumni Affairs, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-075 1. The new Portland State University Alumni Directory is scheduled for release in the spring of 1999. Get ready for PSU plates PSU supporters will have a new way to "show their colors" later this year when the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles issues the new "PSU Vikings" license plate. A specific date has not been set for availabil ity but, once issued, the plates can be ordered directly from OMV. A surcharge will be collected by DMV with a portion going to the University's general scholarship fund. There will be a limited number of these plates ava il– able in the first year of the program. D JANE WIENER MEMORIAL ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP The Jane Wiener Memorial Alumni Scholarship provides full resident tuition and required fees and is renewable provided the student maintains a 2.5 GPA and performs appropriate community service. Each scholarship applicant must: .I be the child or stepchild of a PSU graduate, or the child of a legal guardian who is a PSU graduate .I be accepted and enrolled as an undergraduate student at PSU .I be an Oregon resident, as defined by the PSU Office of Admissions .I qualify on the basis of need, as determined by the Office of Financial Aid upon receipt of application for aid .I be involved in or have performed some type of community service activity .I have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 For the scholarship beginning fall term, submissions must be postmarked on or before May 29, 1998. Please contact the PSU Alumni Office at 725-5073 or psual.um@pdx.edu for application materials. Completed applications will be reviewed by the Student Affai Committee of the PSU Alumni Association. Applicants will be notified of the results by mail. PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SPRING 1998 PSU MAGAZINE 21